Changes in anatomical range of motion between various joints in the body are used to assess and evaluate recovery or treatment of physical injuries and the like. Accurate, reproducible measurement of range of motion in the various joints is very important.
In the measurement of transverse range of motion there are many devices that approach specific monitoring of a patient's capabilities. The goniometer is one that uses two blades that are joined compass fashion at one end with a rivet and spread open to compare the difference from a normal centered position with one blade to the endpoint motion measured by the other blade. This is medium in accuracy.
The CROM and BROM devices are two accurate mechanisms that monitor a singe area per each device. The CROM measures the cervical region, the BROM measures the torso region. Both devices are sizable, a full headgear for the CROM and a magnetic belt and acrylic compass plate for the BROM.
The problems associated with the body measurement in the transverse rotational mode are (a) that no one device can cover the whole body accurately, (b) that the devices now available to externs and new practitioners are expensive with their financial position, and (c) that the size and or setup time is not at maximum efficiency for the patient or clinic convenience. These problems are made more critical by the need to conduct most ROM measurements in a weight bearing mode.
Devices are available that measure certain areas of the body such as the cervicals only or thoracics only and that yield accurate readings, but any device that up to now has approached the full range of body readings for ROM have been low in reliable, repeatable findings.
Measuring the motion of a portion of a human body relative to another has been done utilizing a variety of instruments including compass-type angle indicators or goniometers, pendulum type inclinometers, magnetic compass needles and the like. Also caliper type devices like the spondylometer have been used to measure the motion of the thoracic and lumbar spine relative to the sacrum. Other instrumentalities have been proposed as well to measure spinal and cervical range of motion (hereinafter referred to for convenience as "ROM") for flexion and extension relative to the sacrum or other anatomical reference point, as well as lateral bending and rotation of the vertebrae, and to measure ROM of various extremities. These devices all generate a variety of errors within the measurement methods associated therewith, including rocking induced errors for inclinometers positioned on the sacrum, dorsal vertebral protuberances, or other measurement points on the anatomy. In single inclinometer measurement systems, the inclinometer must be repositioned repeatedly to measure a ROM for both flexion and extension, introducing errors commonly associated with shifting reference points. Reproducibility suffers or disappears when such devices can not relocate the previously attained measurement point during either subsequent testing or inter-examiner evaluation because of failure to establish measurement landmarks. Measurement of rotational motion in the torso and neck is similarly plagued with errors.
But the development of devices which are removably and stably mountable to the spine or other human body parts, and that do not require any repositioning of the device during the measurement process, while yielding accurate, verifiable, and reproducible data has not yet been accomplished. Standardization of measurement protocol, particularly standardization to a single measurement system adaptable to every portion of the human anatomy, is a prerequisite to obtaining objective and comparative measurements for a single patient and for adding to the body of therapeutic literature. This has not happened yet either.
What is needed is a system for measuring ROM that employs removable devices that can be temporarily but stably mounted to the anatomical region so as to minimize or eliminate rocking of the device during measurement, while at the same time facilitating highly reproducible measurements. It should be simple in design and operation, not costly, compact, lightweight, and multifunctional.
Previous attempts to address the problems summarized above in general require adjustment of the patient to the measuring instrument, rather than adjustment of the instrument to the patient.